Though Your Nose Gets A Chilling
by ALittleCliched
Summary: As the Christmas spirits rise, so does Blaine's temperature.


I like the idea of it so I'm writing Kurt, Blaine, Rachel, Santana, Sam, and Artie (he's going to NY right?) into one apartment with frequent visits from Elliott and Dani.  
I'm still uncertain about whether or not disclaimers still apply but regardless here's a disclaimer.

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When the week before Christmas rolls around everyone is in high spirits. There isn't a single place without tinsel or jingling bells. The New York gang (who had to get a new apartment when their group size doubled) spends the week hiding their gifts away from their potential owners and singing as many Christmas songs as they can think of.

On the twenty third of December Kurt makes as many cakes, cookies and other Christmas themed goodies he knows. Blaine helps him by measuring flour and milk into the plastic measuring cups, while Santana and Dani pester them by constantly taking samples of the dough's and homemade icings. Sam, Rachel, and Artie play Uno at the kitchen table in anticipation of the sweets. The entire kitchen smells like gingerbread and mints, which only bring more excitement for the quickly approaching Christmas.

"Santana if you stick one more finger into the bowl you aren't going to have a tongue left to taste with" Kurt threatens as Santana reaches to dip her finger into a bowl of chocolate cream icing.

"Is that a threat, or a promise?" Santana purrs before sweeping some of the chocolate onto her finger and licking it off with a pop. Kurt rolls his eyes and returns to rolling out the sugar cookie dough in front of him. His red apron is covered in different varieties of baking ingredients and there's some sort of white goop sticking right next to his lip. It takes all Santana has in her not to comment on it. She does anyway. This results in Kurt chucking his rolling pin at her. When Santana ducks, the rolling pin soars over her head and to the other end of the room where it hits Artie in the middle of the forehead before landing in his lap. Artie rubs his head in pain.

"Watch it." he grunts before wheeling the rolling pin back to Kurt who gives him an apologetic look. That night when all the baking is done Kurt makes sure to give Artie a few extra cookies (and Santana only gets two).

They make hot chocolate and cozy up on the floor of the living room together. They're singing songs that they make up as they go along. Blaine is cuddling with Kurt, his head on Kurt's shoulder and his free hand wrapped around Kurt's waist. Santana is lying in Dani's lap as Dani plays with her hair. Sam and Elliott are copying one another's hand gestures that fit with the lyrics to previously non-existent songs. Rachel is curled into a pillow by the loveseat. When it gets close to midnight Elliott leaves for his own apartment, while Artie heads off for bed. The rest of them stay in the living room gossiping and singing for another hour until their yawns take over the entire conversation and they all head for their rooms- Dani follows Santana into hers. Blaine manages to slip on blue flannel pajama bottoms before collapsing beside Kurt, who decided to stay in his sweatpants and t-shirt he had changed into earlier, on their bed. Blaine buries his face into Kurt's chest, while Kurt nuzzles his into Blaine's hair. Their arms are wrapped around each other. It isn't long until their eyes droop and they're asleep.

Kurt wakes up a few hours later to Blaine violently coughing beside him. He rolls over and turns on the lamp, too concerned to care about how the brightness hurts his eyes. Blaine is sitting up with his knees tucked into his chest and his left arm covering his mouth to stifle his coughs, which Kurt can still hear loud and clear. Blaine's eyes are tearing up from the way each cough rips up his throat and the fact it won't stop doesn't make it any better. Kurt grips Blaine's right arm and tries his best to look Blaine in the eyes.

"Do want me to get you some water?" Kurt asks frantically. All Blaine can do is nod as the coughs ripple out of him. A few moments after Kurt rushes out of their room, he's back carefully carrying a full glass of water in his hands. Blaine tries his best to stop coughing. It's a few minutes before he can properly hold the glass without fear of spilling it, and another few before the coughing has subsided enough for him to drink the water. His breath comes out uneven and rough. His throat hurts and he can't breathe through his nose because it's so stuffy. A few hours ago he felt perfectly fine but now he can barely sit up without a constant vibration in his skull. Kurt looks at him with eyes full of worry. Blaine wants to reassure him and let him know that he's fine but all that comes out of Blaine's mouth is a scratchy bark. Blaine lays his head on his pillow hoping it might make the ringing in his ears stop- it does but not by much.

Kurt takes the empty glass from Blaine and sets it on their bedside table. Blaine can feel Kurt's cool hand on his heated forehead. The cool relief of the back of Kurt's hand leaves almost to quickly and so does the weight on the bed as Kurt rushes out of the room yet again. Blaine closes his eyes and wraps the covers of the bed around him. The pounding in his head keeps him from thinking full thoughts. Blaine's entire body feels like it's on fire in Antarctica. When Kurt finally returns Blaine has his head buried underneath his pillow with his arms crossed over top.

"Hey, look at me" Kurt whispers gently. Blaine lifts the pillow and see's Kurt holding another glass of water and has a few pills in his hand. "I got you some Tylenol. I know it's not the most proper medicine but it's all we have, I'll pick something better up at a more decent hour." Blaine quickly takes the pills before easing himself back into a comfortable position on the bed. Kurt gets in beside him and clicks the bedside light off before spooning into Blaine. "Get some sleep" Kurt mumbles, kissing Blaine's temple. Blaine's throat still hurts and his brain still feels like there's a rock concert going on inside it. He stares blankly at the wall while listening to Kurt breathe gently. After awhile the pain dies down enough for Blaine to fall into a fitful sleep.

Kurt isn't in bed when Blaine properly wakes in the morning. When he tries to sit up the pain rushes back to his skull and Blaine has to lie back down. He can't remember ever being this sick. There was the cold he had last year but not even that compared to what he was feeling now. At least last year he was able to stand on both feet without feeling like he was going to drop to the floor. A fit of coughs interrupts Blaine's thoughts. It isn't as bad as the night before but it still leaves hit throat feeling rough and scratchy. He wants to call out for someone but he knows from the state of his throat he won't be able to get out more than a quiet croak. Blaine tries yet again to get out of bed and manages to make it to the bathroom before the black spots in his vision completely take over and he crumples to the floor and tries to blink his vision back into focus. Finally he stands and enters the bathroom. Blaine manages to finish his business and make it back to his room without another incident. Blaine counts the number of times his head throbs as he lulls back to sleep.

The next time he wakes, something cold and wet is being placed on his forehead and Rachel is looking at him with concern.

"Kurt went out to get you medicine," she says in a motherly tone that reminds him of his own mother. He half expects he to sing 'Here Comes The Sun' like his mom always does when he's sick or having a bad day. Instead soothing words of comfort leave her mouth as she gently strokes his hair.

The next time he wakes Kurt is there, telling him to drink a liquid medicine that tastes more like rusted metal then cherries. The next time Blaine wakes, Kurt is sitting beside him, rubbing Blaine's cheek and singing quietly. The thunder in Blaine's mind doesn't quiet and everything feels glazed over and distorted. When he manages to focus on the sweet tone of Kurt's voice it's enough for Blaine to droop his eyes again.

Blaine spends the rest of the day drifting in and out of consciousness. Most of the time Kurt is there beside him either stroking Blaine's curls or reading quietly. When Kurt isn't there one of the many occupants of the apartment is. He isn't left alone (minus the incident from this morning) all day. The coughing fits don't stop but they get less and less worse throughout the day. Eventually the hammering in Blaine's head softens to a tap and he's able to think without much work. His throat is still soar and he can't speak higher than a rough whisper. Regardless he thinks the disgusting liquid everyone is forcing down his throat is actually worth it.

Blaine completely forgets that it's Christmas Eve until evening comes and Kurt begins singing a soft version of Winter Wonderland. Blaine wants to desperately join in but his voice only allows him to settle for a low hum. Blaine grabs Kurt's hand and gently strokes his fingers to the imaginary beat. It isn't like their previous Christmas duets but Blaine figures they have plenty of Christmases left for normal duets. At the end of the song Kurt goes to kiss Blaine on the lips and only stops when Blaine sniffles. Kurt instead settles for kissing Blaine on his nose. Blaine smiles gently and rests his head into the crease of Kurt's neck.


End file.
